Criminal Justice News

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Winchester Woman Accused of Making False Statements while Purchasing Firearm

ALEXANDRIA,
Va. — Brita Lanette Jackson, 51, of Winchester, Va., was arrested today accused
of making a false statement in connection with the purchase of a firearm.

Neil
H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and
James Newman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement
after Jackson’s initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Ivan
D. Davis.

Jackson
was arrested based on a criminal complaint and faces a maximum penalty of five
years in prison, if convicted.

According
to court documents and court proceedings today, Jackson is alleged to have
attempted to purchase a 7.62 x 39mm firearm from a licensed dealer in Manassas,
Va., on May 24, 2012. To purchase the firearm, Jackson indicated on official
paperwork that she was the actual buyer of the firearm; however, Jackson allegedly
intended to transfer the firearm to a male with multiple felony convictions.
Court records allege that Jackson previously purchased between 15 and 20
firearms since January 2012 on behalf of the convicted felon.

The
investigation was conducted by ATF’s Washington Field Division. Assistant
United States Attorney Adam B. Schwartz is prosecuting the case on behalf of
the United States.

Criminal
complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed
to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.